By JULIE DUVALL
Moral education can and should be a part of secondary education, said a BYU professor of family science.
Terry Olson and research partner Chris Wallace have developed a method of teaching that helps teachers emphasize morality without teaching religion.
'We want to teach what it means to be human,' said Olson of his program. 'We want to distinguish moral sensibility.'
Olson said that most children growing up do not have to be told not to spit on their mothers, for example. He said that every child is born with an innate sense of moral correctness that needs to be molded and developed as children grow older.
'We have people acknowledge that lives are lived in honor or dishonor and then teach them that they need to make a decision about how they will live their own lives,' Olson said.
One school in California split the semester and had driver's education for five weeks and then taught the curriculum designed by Olson and Wallace for the next five weeks. But for the most part, teachers just incorporate the idea of moral responsibility into a normal course.
Cheryl Lewis, a teacher at Orem High School, is one teacher who has used Olson's ideas in the classroom. She invites Olson to come speak at the beginning of each school year in order to provide a basis for the rest of the year.
'Each year the speech provides a common understanding for the rest of the year. talks about the world being humane and inhumane and how important it is for each individual to spend as much time as possible in the humane aspect of the world. When we talk throughout the rest of the year I can say 'humane' and the students understand what I am trying to tell them,' Lewis said.
Lewis said she teaches a wide variety of students, from the advanced placement students to those who have been close to dropping out of high school, and all of them seem to respond positively to Olson's ideas.
' helps them to see the importance of living truthful lives. He is so personable, genuine and interesting to listen to that the students really respond,' Lewis said.
Olson's motto for the program: 'Every act in the present moment is an act for or against a future generation.'
Olson said many adolescents think their behavior affects only themselves. He believes that the key to teaching moral responsibility is to get kids to understand their actions have effects on other people.
'We teach that we need to assess the value of every value,' said Olson.
Olson said the program faded out for a while but is now making a comeback. He said he hopes to see more teachers taking the time to teach students responsibility and morale.